Department for Transport

Monarch Airlines: Insolvency

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost to public expenditure of repatriating to the UK customers of Monarch Airlines; and what contribution to this cost they are seeking to reclaim from the airline's owners, investors, and associates.

baroness sugg: In October 2017, the Government estimated that the total cost of Monarch’s repatriation operation would be £60m. The actual cost of repatriation is estimated to be about £50m and the Government does not expect this number to change significantly. As the administration of Monarch has yet to conclude, the Department continues to discuss contributions from the travel industry and the investors and estate of the company towards taxpayers costs.

Airports

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to paragraph 4.3 of their consultation Aviation 2050—the future of UK aviation (Cm9714), published on 17 December, whether (1) a third runway at Heathrow airport is exempt from further consideration of its environmental and economic impacts, and (2) there is a presumption that no airports other than Heathrow may have new or extended runways.

baroness sugg: The Government has set out its preferred option for one new runway in the South East by 2030. This is being taken forward through the Airports National Policy Statement, which was designated by the Secretary of State on 26 June 2018. It provides the primary basis for decision making on an application for development consent for a Northwest runway at Heathrow Airport, which includes the strict environmental requirements that any applicant will have to meet. In June 2018, the Department released its policy to provide support for all airports across the UK with the exception of Heathrow to make best use of their existing runways subject to relevant environmental considerations being addressed. Airports that wish to increase either the passenger or air traffic movement cap to allow them to make best use of their existing runways will need to submit applications to the relevant planning authority.

Gatwick Airport Station

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Sugg on 11 December 2018 (HL11834), in view of the proportion of airport passengers using Gatwick Airport railway station, what assessment they have made of requestingGatwick Airport Limited to make a greater contribution to the costs of improving the station.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport has been seeking to agree Gatwick Airport Limited’s contribution to the costs of enhancement works at Gatwick Airport Station through a process of negotiation. The objective of these negotiations has been to secure an appropriate level of contribution from the airport, which also recognises that the enhancement works are designed to improve passenger journeys for airport and non-airport users. Negotiations with Gatwick Airport Limited are still ongoing.

Motor Vehicles: Tyres

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 10 December 2018 (HL11832), how many roadside checks, which involved checks on whether buses, coaches, or lorries have a tyre fitted which is more than ten years old, were conducted in the last three years for which figures are available; and how many such cases were referred by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to the Office of the Traffic Commissioner.

baroness sugg: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) carried out the following number of roadside checks (mechanical checks/encounters) involving buses, coaches and lorries, in the last 3 calendar years. All mechanical encounters involve a check of the condition of a tyre irrespective of its age. 201620172018117,600114,965105,471 Buses and coaches have been checked from June 2017 to identify if they have a tyre that is more than ten years old fitted on the front axle. When conducting roadside checks, the DVSA has a process in place to identify tyres that are more than 10 years old, irrespective of condition, and will conduct follow up investigations with operators. No such cases have been referred by the DVSA to the Office of the Traffic Commissioner since the referral process began in December 2018.

Large Goods Vehicles: Safety

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 18 December 2018 (HL12016), what value was put on a life lost, or a serious injury, in coming to a decision about retrofitting of safeguards on heavy goods vehicles.

baroness sugg: The analysis used economic values from official Government and Department for Transport Appraisal Guidance (TAG), Table A 4.1.1: Average value of prevention per casualty by severity and element of cost.The economic values were approximately £1.6m for a fatal casualty and £0.18m for a serious casualty (2010 prices, 2015 TAG version).

Aviation

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to work with the EU to provide reassurance to airlines about their flying rights in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

baroness sugg: The Government continues to advocate the conclusion of the Withdrawal Agreement, which will ensure an orderly departure from the EU. Nevertheless, the Government has a duty to plan for the alternative. The Department’s aviation technical notices, together with the European Commission’s published plans for aviation contingency preparations and most recently their proposed EU regulations published on 19 December clearly demonstrate that, in the event of no deal, both sides are committed to maintaining connectivity. We look forward to engaging with the Commission and other Member States on the detail of the proposed EU legislative measures to ensure that they deliver the continuity of services that both the EU and the UK want to see.

Ramsgate Port: Channel Ferries

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussionsthey had with the Mayor of Ostend before awarding a contract to Seaborne Freight to operate ferry services from Ramsgate to Ostend from 29 March; and given the Mayor’s statement that the port will not be ready in time, what alternative port arrangementsthey intend to make.

baroness sugg: Port contracts are a matter for operators. Operators on other routes (including Brittany Ferries and DFDS with whom the Government has also contracted) will be used for scheduled ro-ro traffic if Ostend is not ready by 29 March. The majority of the additional freight capacity which has been contracted is not via Ostend.

Seaborne Freight

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the award of the shipping contract to Seaborne Freight to operate ferry services between Ramsgate and Ostend meets EU state aid and competition rules; what discussionsthey have had with EU officials about this; and whetherthey have budgeted for compensation to be paid to other ferry operators and Eurotunnel.

baroness sugg: The contract was awarded under the procedure provided for in regulation 32 of The Public Contracts Regulations 2015, which implement EU requirements. No discussions with EU officials were required nor held, and we do not expect to pay compensation to any party.

Channel Ferries

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the additional ferry services they have contracted in the event of a no-deal Brexiton their agreements with Eurotunnel.

baroness sugg: We consider the contracts to be entirely consistent with the Government's agreements with Eurotunnel.

Leader of the House of Lords

Trade Bill

baroness mcdonagh: To ask the Leader of the House why dates for the committee stage of the Trade Bill in the House of Lords were not scheduled more quickly after the bill's second reading.

baroness evans of bowes park: The committee stage of the Trade bill has been arranged in the usual way, having been subject to ongoing discussions in the Usual Channels. So far the three of an anticipated four dates for Committee stage are 21, 23 and 30 January and they have been advertised in Forthcoming Business. The remaining day will be rescheduled as a day had to be set aside for for the House to have a further debate under section 13 of the EU (Withdrawal) Act, which is now scheduled for 28 January. The recommended intervals between Bill stages are minimums, and it is not unusual for there to be a longer pause between stages than the recommended minimum interval.

Trade Bill

lord triesman: To ask the Leader of the House how many days of committee stage she estimates will be required for the Trade Bill; and when she anticipates the committee stage being completed.

baroness evans of bowes park: So far three of an anticipated four days have been scheduled and advertised (21, 23 and 30 January). The remaining day will be rescheduled as a day had to be set aside for the House to have a further debate under section 13 of the EU (Withdrawal) Act which is now scheduled for 28 January. The progress of all business is, as always, in the hands of the House. But the Usual Channels have agreed to those dates on the assumption that they should allow Committee Stage to be completed inside four days and the Usual Channels are working to get the remaining day scheduled within the first week of February.

Brexit: Parliamentary Scrutiny

lord bassam of brighton: To ask the Leader of the House what estimate she has made of the parliamentary time required in the House of Lords to complete the remaining Brexit related bills before 29 March 2019; and whether the time available allows for the usual minimum intervals.

baroness evans of bowes park: It is my intention that we should create the time to do our business properly. I note that so far all bills associated with Brexit have been scheduled in accordance with the minimum intervals recommended in The Companion. As the Noble Lord will recall, from time to time the recommended minimum intervals have, with Usual Channels agreement, been dispensed with when it has been necessary for the House to do so. I undertake to work with my counterparts in the usual channels to ensure that business continues to be scheduled in a way which allows proper scrutiny.

Brexit: Parliamentary Scrutiny

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask the Leader of the House whether she intends to invite the House of Lords to sit on Fridays until 29 March in order to allow time for proper scrutiny of pre-Brexit legislation.

baroness evans of bowes park: The next scheduled Friday sitting is for 1 February, as advertised in Forthcoming Business. Further sittings will be advertised in due course. There are currently no plans to consider Government business on Fridays, but as is always the case the sittings of the House are subject to the progress of business.

Brexit: Parliamentary Scrutiny

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask the Leader of the House whether she intends to invite the House to sit on Saturdays until 29 March in order to allow time for proper scrutiny of pre-Brexit legislation.

baroness evans of bowes park: There are currently no plans to sit on weekends. As is always the case, the sittings of the House are subject to the progress of business.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Israel: Churches

lord mcinnes of kilwinning: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they had with the government of Israel about proposed changes to land ownership in relation to the sale of church properties in Israel.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv have previously raised the Bill with the Israeli authorities and encouraged a swift resolution that all parties are content with. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv is closely following developments on the Church Lands issue, and we understand that the Bill has been paused.

Israel: Gaza

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel regarding its frequent incursions into Gaza and of any associated destruction of farmland and crops.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not had any discussions on this specific issue.

Israel: Palestinians

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel about that government's decision to lower prison standards for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel; and what assessment they have made of the impact of those measures.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Whilst we have not raised this specific issue with Israeli authorities, we have previously raised our concerns over the treatment of Palestinian prisoners, especially children, in Israeli detention and encourage for international standards to be upheld.

Arms Trade Treaty

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the blog by SaferworldArms Trade Treaty report card for 2018: must try harder, published on 31 October 2018; whether they intend to take steps in response; and if so, what.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Her Majesty's Government regularly engages at official level with Non-Government Organisations, including Saferworld, on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), and considers civil society suggestions on ways to enhance the ATT. We share some of their concerns about the implementation of the Treaty and are fully committed to working with a wide range of stakeholders to improve the operation of the Treaty, in line with its purpose and objectives. We are open to further official level engagement on the specific proposals.

Israel: West Bank

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the safety and security of the Palestinian population following a reported increase in Israeli violence against Palestinians in the West Bank including East Jerusalem, during the second half of December 2018.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised the issue of settler violence and the importance of accountability with the Israeli authorities on 3 January. Our Ambassador to Israel discussed the issue of settler violence with the Israeli Attorney General on 6 November. The British Government condemns any violence by settlers against Palestinians. Under international law, Israel, as the occupying power, has an obligation to take all measures in its power to protect the Palestinian population from all acts of violence.

Israel: West Bank

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the protection of archaeological finds from the West Bank that are being displayed within Israel.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We have not raised this issue with the Israeli authorities.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the treatment of Palestinians who have been shot and wounded by the Israeli Defence Force.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK has repeatedly made clear to Israel our longstanding concerns about the manner in which the Israel Defence Forces respond to protests in the border areas, including use of live ammunition. The UK is providing funding to Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) to enable access to healthcare of Palestinians in Gaza and protect the right to health.

Israeli Settlements: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they intend to make to the government of Israel following reports of attacks against Palestinian farmers and shepherds by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​​We are aware of reports about attacks against Palestinian farmers. While we have not raised this specific issue, officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised the issue of settler violence and the importance of accountability with the Israeli authorities on 3 January. Our Ambassador to Israel discussed the issue of settler violence with the Israeli Attorney General on 6 November. The British Government condemns any violence by settlers against Palestinians. Under international law, Israel, as the occupying power, has an obligation to take all measures in its power to protect the Palestinian population from all acts of violence.

Israeli Settlements: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to protect Palestinians in the West Bank whose land is being used by Israeli settlers to build new settlements under the protection of the Israeli military.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Government funds a number of projects to monitor and report on settlement expansion in East Jerusalem and the West Bank and to protect vulnerable Palestinian communities from the effects of settlement expansion. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa issued a statement on 27 December expressing our disappointment in the latest announcement by the Government of Israel to advance over 2,800 housing units in settlements in the West Bank. Such actions are illegal under international law and call into question Israel’s commitment to any future peace agreement with the Palestinians. We strongly urge Israel to cease such actions. We regularly raise our grave concerns on this issue with the Government of Israel and urge it to reverse its policy of settlement expansion.

Cuba: Religious Freedom

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 20 December 2018 (HL12125), what recent assessment they have made of the standard of protection for freedom of religion or belief in Article 15 of Cuba’s draft constitution and the provision for protecting freedom of conscience, including in Article 59.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The most recent draft version of the new constitution now addresses freedom of religion in Articles 15 and 57 and freedom of conscience in Article 54. However, in spite of constitutional protections in the present constitution and the draft new constitution, we remain concerned about how effectively these freedoms are protected in reality. Religious expression is still closely regulated and violations against freedom of religion or belief still occur in Cuba. We hope more will be done to ensure these rights and freedoms are protected when the new constitution comes into force. The UK will continue to monitor human rights in Cuba and address concerns through bilateral engagement with Cuba and multilateral human rights fora.

Saudi Arabia: Females

lord hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their representations to the government of Saudi Arabia about the continued detention of women convicted of driving before the ban was lifted, what further action they are taking to secure the release of those detained.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The British Government remains very concerned about the detention of women's rights activists and allegations that they have been subject to torture during pre-trial detention in Saudi Arabia. We understand they also remain without formal charges. We have raised concerns a number of times about these cases at Ministerial level with the Saudi authorities and will do so again. We consistently and unreservedly condemn torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Syria: Armed Conflict

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what actions they are taking, in conjunction with governments which have not intervened in the Syrian civil war, to secure the release of all detainees held by the various governments and organisations involved in the conflict.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK has repeatedly condemned the illegal detention, torture and execution of detainees by the Assad regime, affiliated militias and proscribed terrorist organisations. We continue to work with international partners to call for the release of those who are arbitrarily detained, including through our leadership of the regular UN Human Rights Council resolution on Syria and by co-sponsoring an event to highlight this issue during the UN General Assembly ministerial week in September 2018.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what updated information they have on the conditions in which Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is being held in Iran and on the prospects for her release.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The treatment of all British-Iranians detained in Iran, including Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, is a priority for the Government. We urgently raise these cases with the Iranian government at every opportunity. On 14 January, the Foreign Secretary summoned the Iranian Ambassador to the UK and called for Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe to be immediately given the healthcare she requires and for her and other British-Iranian dual nationals to be released. We will continue to raise Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s case, as well as our other consular cases, with the Iranian government at every opportunity, including requesting consular access, and will continue to take action in line with what we believe will produce the best outcomes in their cases.

Syria: Military Intervention

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether ISIS will regroup if United States troops are withdrawn from Syria; and if that is their assessment, how long they estimate that this will take.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Since military operations began, the Global Coalition against Daesh and its partners in Syria and Iraq have recaptured the vast majority of Daesh territory. Important advances continue to be made in the last small Daesh pocket in eastern Syria. As the United States recognises, it is important that the withdrawal of US forces from Syria takes place in a way which allows this significant progress to be maintained. However, much remains to be done in the global campaign against Daesh. Daesh will remain a threat, whether they hold territory or not. We have already seen indications over the past year in Iraq and Syria of Daesh transitioning to a clandestine network. We remain committed to the Global Coalition and its objective of ensuring Daesh's enduring defeat.

Syria: Military Intervention

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they were first made aware of the decision by the government of the United States to withdraw all United States troops from Syria announced by President Trump on 19 December 2018; and whatassessment they have made of thegovernment of the United States' announcement on the same day that it is transitioning to the "next phase of the campaign".

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Foreign Secretary spoke with United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on 19 December with regard to President Trump's decision, and senior officials have been in close contact with their US counterparts on the implementation of this decision. As the US has acknowledged, much remains to be done to maintain the successful progress achieved in the global campaign against Daesh. We, like the US, remain committed to the Global Coalition and its objective of ensuring Daesh's enduring defeat.

Iraq: Politics and Government

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessmentthey have made of the current political situation in Iraq; what progress has been made in the formation of the government; and what assistance the UK can offer.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We are pleased to see progress on the formation of a Cabinet, including the key posts of Minister for Foreign Affairs, who I spoke to on 20 December, and Finance Minister. We encourage swift announcement of the remaining Cabinet members.We will continue to support the Government of Iraq in its efforts to deliver the reforms needed to rebuild public trust in the Iraqi state and unite all Iraqis against extremism. We are encouraging progress on economic and security sector reform and reinforcing the importance of political reconciliation, which is critical to winning the peace post-Daesh. The UK is assisting the Government of Iraq to re-establish security, basic services and inclusive local governance in areas formerly under Daesh control. Through funding and diplomatic efforts, we are also supporting the development of inclusive and representative reconciliation processes at both national and community level.

Bahrain: Political Prisoners

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Bahrain about the release of Sayed Nazar Alwadaei, Mahmood Marzooq Mansoor and Hajar Mansoor Hassan, following the statement by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on 9 January that they were held because of their family ties with Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Embassy in Bahrain and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continue to monitor the cases of Sayed Nazar Al-Wadaei, Mahmood Marzooq Mansoor and Hajar Mansoor Hassan. We have raised these cases at a senior level with the Government of Bahrain. We have received assurances from the Bahraini authorities that there have been no reprisals against the family members of Mr Alwadaei.

Pakistan: Asylum

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees about asylum seekers from Pakistani religious minorities who are living illegally in Thailand; when any such discussions were held; and what progress is being made in the resettlement of such asylum seekers.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Our Embassy in Bangkok closely followed the October 2018 detention in Thailand of approximately 100 people, mainly from Pakistan, whom the Thai authorities considered illegal immigrants, and has monitored other recent immigration crackdowns. On 2 November 2018 I spoke to the Thai Ambassador in London to raise our concerns over the detention of foreign nationals, including nationals of Pakistan, in Thailand. Later that month, our Embassy in Bangkok raised the issue with the Ministry of the Interior. We have also repeatedly urged Thailand to sign the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees. We believe that the actions of the Thai authorities are not aimed at any specific group or groups but apply to anyone whom they deem an illegal visa over-stayer. The UNHCR are working closely with the Royal Thai Government over asylum and resettlement issues.

Department of Health and Social Care

NHS: Drugs

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the supply of medicines into the UK will not be disrupted as a result of Brexit; and what is the cost of any such steps.

baroness manzoor: The Government has now agreed the Withdrawal Agreement with the European Commission, which includes an implementation period that will run from March 2019 until December 2020. During this time, the supply of medicines will remain unchanged. As a responsible Government, however, we continue to prepare proportionately for all scenarios, including ‘no deal’.On 23 August 2018, the Department wrote to all pharmaceutical companies that supply prescription only medicines and pharmacy medicines to the United Kingdom that come from, or via, the European Union or European Economic Area (EEA) asking them to ensure a minimum of six weeks’ additional supply in the UK, over and above existing business-as-usual buffer stocks, by 29 March 2019.We have received very good engagement from industry who share our aims of ensuring continuity of medicines supply for patients is maintained and able to cope with any potential delays at the border that may arise in the short term in the event of a ‘no deal’ EU exit. In the light of this engagement, the Department is currently considering how best it may support those companies taking part in the contingency planning.Additionally, a tender process to procure additional warehouse space for stockpiled medicines, including ambient, refrigerated and controlled drug storage, was undertaken in October 2018. Contract agreements for storage have recently been signed or are imminent. This is expected to cost the Government in the low tens of millions of pounds.Whilst the six-week stockpiling activity remains a critical part of our contingency plans, this has been supplemented with additional actions. The Government recognises the importance of medicines and is working to ensure that there is sufficient roll-on, roll-off freight capacity to enable these vital products to continue to move freely in to the UK from 29 March in a ‘no deal’ scenario. The Department is working closely with the Department for Transport to ensure all medicines and medical products are prioritised on these alternative routes to ensure that the flow of all these products will continue unimpeded after 29 March 2019.On 7 December 2018, the Department wrote to pharmaceutical companies that supply licensed medicines to the UK from or via the EU/EEA, and/or manufacture medicines in the UK, informing them of the updated reasonable worst-case scenario border planning assumptions and asking them about their current transportation routes and their ability to re-route their supply chains if they currently rely on Dover and/or Folkestone. Since then we have been working closely with those companies to better understand their supply chains and the potential for rerouting in a ‘no deal’ scenario.

Contraceptives

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O'Shaughnessyon 20 December (HL12267), whether there has been an increase or decrease in contraceptive uptake in the UK in recent years; and if so, (1) which kinds of contraceptives have been affected, and (2) what age groups demonstrate the most change.

baroness manzoor: Data covering all contraception provision by age and method in the United Kingdom or England is not held centrally.

Clinical Commissioning Groups

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish the letter sent by the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of NHS England in November 2018, requiring Clinical Commissioning Groups to explore mergers and joint ways of working.

baroness manzoor: The letter dated 23 November 2018 was sent to all Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) Accountable Officers and CCG Chief Financial Officers in England from the Deputy Chief Executive of NHS England. A copy of the letter is attached.



23 November 2018 letter to CCGs
(PDF Document, 78.49 KB)

NHS

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government with which professional associations the NHS consulted in developing the NHS Long Term Plan.

baroness manzoor: A list of the organisations who attended events, joined webinars or submitted evidence and views to inform the NHS Long Term Plan is attached, due to the size of the data.



Organisations consulted for NHS Long Term Plan
(Word Document, 41.08 KB)

Dental Services

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many NHS registered dentists there currently are.

baroness manzoor: Data is not held in the format requested.Information on numbers of National Health Service dentists is collected and published on the numbers of dentists who deliver some NHS care in each 12 month period.The latest data shows there were 24,308 dentists who performed some NHS activity in England in 2017/18.

NHS: Drugs

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the proposed changes to the Human Medicines Regulation 2012, as outlined in the document Further guidance note on the regulation of medicines, medical devices and clinical trials if there’s no Brexit deal, published on 4 January, would (1) be used rarely, (2) be time limited, and (3) only apply in the event that there is no significant disruption to the supply of medicines in the event of a no deal Brexit.

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to include in the proposed changes to the Human Medicines Regulation 2012, as outlined in the document Further guidance note on the regulation of medicines, medical devices and clinical trials if there’s no Brexit deal, published on 4 January, a legal definition of “serious national shortages of medicines” in any accompanying statutory instruments, to ensure that proposed changes would be (1) time limited, and (2) apply only in the event that there is a significant disruption to the supply of medicines in the event of a no deal Brexit.

baroness manzoor: As part of the preparations for a ‘no deal’ exit from the European Union, the Department developed proposals for and informally consulted with the relevant stakeholder representative bodies on a power to modify the application of the Human Medicines Regulation 2012 to deal with serious shortages in the event of a ‘no deal’ exit. This power can only be used in the case of a ‘no deal’ exit from the EU, only have effect until two years after exit day and only apply in the case of a serious shortage where one but not the only significant factor contributing to the shortage is the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU.The legal provisions will clarify that a serious shortage is a serious shortage in the opinion of Ministers.

NHS: Drugs

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in relation to the proposed changes to the Human Medicines Regulation 2012, as outlined in the document Further guidance note on the regulation of medicines, medical devices and clinical trials if there’s no Brexit deal, published on 4 January, what supply triggers would be applied under the “Serious Shortage Protocol” for pharmacists to dispense (1) reduced quantities of medicine, (2) alternate dosage forms, (3) generic versions of the prescription-only medicine substitution, (4) similar medicinal products, and (5) medicines that have a similar therapeutic effect; whether there will be a full risk assessment performed for the types of medication and clinical circumstances to be included in the protocol; and whether this protocol will be (a) legally defined, and (b) developed with clinical experts.

baroness manzoor: A serious shortage protocol would only be introduced in case of a serious shortage, if it would help manage the supply situation and if clinicians think it is appropriate. A protocol is only one of the tools that can be used to manage shortages. The Department manages shortages in collaboration with manufacturers and suppliers, the National Health Service and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and will continue to do so. For each shortage the Department assesses the risk to patients and decides what tools to use to mitigate the impact on patients which could include a serious shortage protocol. The triggers for considering a protocol and the protocol itself will be different depending on the medicines and the supply situation, including whether alternatives are available.The legal provisions will clarify that a serious shortage is a serious shortage in the opinion of Ministers.Any serious shortage protocol would be developed with and signed off by clinicians. Only if clinicians deem it appropriate, an alternative quantity, strength, pharmaceutical form or medicine can be dispensed in line with the protocol. Each protocol would clearly set out what alternative can be dispensed by the retail pharmacy, under what circumstances, for which patients and during which period.

NHS: Drugs

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthe “Serious Shortage Protocol”, as set out in the document Further guidance note on the regulation of medicines, medical devices and clinical trials if there’s no Brexit deal, published on 4 January, will be applied to patients involved in clinical trials; and what assessment they have made of the risk of jeopardising the conduct of clinical trials and the data collected by the application of the protocol to such trials.

baroness manzoor: The provisions exempt retail pharmacies from dispensing against a prescription when a serious shortage protocol is in place. We do not envisage it would apply to medicines not supplied on prescription, including those supplied as part of a clinical trial. Therefore, no such assessment has been made.

NHS: Drugs

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will be conducting a full impact assessment of the effect on patients of the proposed changes to the Human Medicines Regulation 2012, as outlined in the document Further guidance note on the regulation of medicines, medical devices and clinical trials if there’s no Brexit deal, published on 4 January.

baroness manzoor: An impact assessment will be published alongside the Statutory Instruments when they are laid in Parliament.

NHS: Drugs

lord warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in relation to the proposed changes to the Human Medicines Regulation 2012, as outlined in the document Further guidance note on the regulation of medicines, medical devices and clinical trials if there’s no Brexit deal, published on 4 January, what will constitute a ‘serious shortage’ in the Serious Shortage Protocol; how such a circumstance will be determined by the Department of Health and Social Care;what is the procedure for determining the content of the Serious Shortage Protocol; what governance processes will be applied to the protocol includinghow (1) manufacturers, and (2) Market Authorisation Holders will be engaged in any governance; and whether manufacturers must be the primary party to establish which products are listed as being in “serious shortage”.

baroness manzoor: The legal provisions will clarify that a serious shortage is a serious shortage in the opinion of Ministers.A protocol is only one of the tools that can be used to manage shortages. The Department has well-established governance processes for managing shortages in collaboration with manufacturers and suppliers, clinicians and the National Health Service and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. A protocol would only be introduced in case of a serious shortage, if it would help manage the supply situation and if clinicians think it is appropriate, after discussion with the manufacturer and/or marketing authorisation holder.Whether a serious shortage protocol is issued is a decision by Ministers but that decision would be taken after discussion with the manufacturer and/or marketing authorisation holder. Manufacturers are not the primary party to establish which products are listed as being in serious shortage.

Department for International Development

Gaza: Public Health

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their most recent assessment of the impact on public health in Palestine of (1) the reduction in food aid provided by the World Food Programme, and (2) the level of availability of antibiotics and other medical supplies, water, power and fuel in Gaza.

lord bates: DFID continually assesses the humanitarian context in Gaza, including in the health sector, which remains under significant strain. Recent information from the World Food Programme states that cuts in its funding will affect 193,000 of the poorest people in Gaza and the West Bank as of January 2019. High food insecurity and poverty rates in Gaza contribute to the dire humanitarian situation. Although the recent increase in electricity supply has positively impacted health facilities, there is still a major shortage of essential drugs, including antibiotics and other medical supplies. Movement restrictions on patients seeking medical treatment outside Gaza and access to water also remain critical concerns. DFID continues to provide assistance in the region, including providing food assistance to the most vulnerable refugees, supporting urgent health needs, preventing the spread of diseases, and improving access to safe water.

Developing Countries: Education

baroness anelay of st johns: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in setting up, funding and leading the Inclusive Education Initiative as proposed at the Global Disability Summit in July 2018; and whether it will become operational in 2019.

lord bates: The UK is committed to supporting the Inclusive Education Initiative which will become operational in 2019. Since the Global Disability Summit in July, we have been working closely with partners the World Bank and Norway to establish the Initiative, finalising operational and design arrangements. DFID’s year one contribution was announced at the launch of the Disability Inclusion Strategy in December and will be £1.5 million commencing in April 2019.

Cameroon: Overseas Aid

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken during the past two weeks to ensure that shelter, food supplies, clean water and other essentials are being adequately provided for English speaking victims of violence, threatened violence and conflict in Cameroon.

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taking during the past two weeks to ensure that medical support, educational resources and sanitation facilities are being adequately provided for English speaking victims of violence, threatened violence and conflict in Cameroon.

lord bates: On 13th December we announced a £2.5m contribution to the UN appeal for the Anglophone crisis in Cameroon, with £2 million disbursed immediately to UNICEF. This support will begin to: treat 1,300 children who are most at risk of dying from severe acute malnutrition; provide essential drugs to treat 5,700 children for deadly diseases such as malaria, diarrhoea, and acute respiratory infections; provide 10,000 people with water and sanitation kits including water purification supplies and other household items including washable sanitary napkins and tooth brushes; provide 2,000 mosquito-nets to prevent malaria; vaccinate 3,500 children against measles; and identify and support many unaccompanied children.

Pakistan: Christianity

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial assistance they have provided to Christian groups in Pakistan in each year since 2009.

lord bates: UK aid prioritises support for the poorest and most excluded people and communities in Pakistan regardless of race, religion, social background or nationality. The UK supports the rights of all groups to follow their own religious faith and to live safe and secure lives. It is not possible to disaggregate our spending data by religion as we do not collect information on the religion of all our beneficiaries in country. We do however have a data disaggregation action plan which focuses on 4 key areas, disability, age, sex and geography. We do not currently have plans to collect data on religion as we recognise the risks associated with potentially revealing such sensitive information for religious minorities.

Iraq: Christianity

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial assistance they have provided to Christian groups in Iraq in each year since 2003.

lord bates: DFID has committed to providing humanitarian support to Iraq since 2003, including access to clean water, food, medicines, protection and other life-saving assistance, targeted towards the most vulnerable people. This support is provided on the basis of need, irrespective of race, religion or ethnicity, and in line with international humanitarian principles; it is therefore not possible to provide figures on assistance specifically provided to Christians or other religious group. The UK works closely with the Government of Iraq, the UN, humanitarian partners and minority representatives to support the rights of all minorities and to ensure our aid reaches those in the greatest need.

World Bank: Public Appointments

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make any representations to the government of the United States aboutthe appointment of a new President of the World Bank, following the resignation of the current President, Jim Yong Kim, three years before the end of his term, in view of calls for an open, transparent and merit-based process.

lord bates: The UK strongly supports an open, transparent and merit-based process for selection of the next President of the World Bank Group. We will engage with all World Bank Group shareholders, including the United States, during this process.

Department for Education

Apprentices: Taxation

lord grade of yarmouth: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of proposals from the UK's screen industries and others for reform of the apprenticeship levy to increase the numbers of skilled new entrants needed to meet demand.

lord agnew of oulton: ​Apprenticeships offer businesses in the screen industries an opportunity to make a long-term, sustainable investment in training and promote diversity in the workforce.We have already responded to feedback from businesses by introducing flexibilities in our funding rules. This includes increasing the time for employers to spend their levy funds from 18 to 24 months and raising the transfer cap from 10% to 25% this year. Levy-paying employers will be able to transfer funds to as many smaller employers or charities as they wish, in order to support the development of skills in their supply chain or respond to skills shortages in their sector. In the Budget, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer also announced up to £240 million of additional funds to halve apprenticeship training costs for smaller employers. We continue to keep all aspects of apprenticeship funding policy under review.​We recognise that co-ordinating and delivering apprenticeship training can be a challenge for smaller employers in the screen industries. We are working closely with Screen Skills in response to their report in order to explore how employers can take advantage of flexible delivery of off-the-job training including, potentially, through Apprenticeship Training Agencies. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has a £2 million funding package under the creative industries sector deal, which includes support for employers to help them accelerate the development of up to 20 new apprenticeship standards. DCMS will work with the Institute for Apprenticeships to identify skills gaps and understand how the apprenticeship programme can support the priorities identified in the Industrial Strategy.

Ministry of Justice

Islam: Legal Systems

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ruling by the Grand Committee of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Molla Sali v. Greece on the application of sharia law, issued on 19 December 2018; what plans, if any, they have to (1) provide support to women and girls in the UK who suffer as a result of the application of sharia law, and (2) ensure that relevant vulnerable people are made aware of their rights in relation to the application of sharia law within the UK judicial system.

lord keen of elie: The Grand Chamber found that the difference of treatment suffered by the applicant, as a beneficiary of a will drawn up in accordance with the Greek Civil Code by a testator of Muslim faith, as compared to a beneficiary of a will drawn up in accordance with the Civil Code by a non-Muslim testator, had no objective and reasonable justification, contrary to the applicant’s rights under Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights read in conjunction with Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention. The Government’s initial assessment is that the judgment does not affect inheritance law in England and Wales. Inheritance law in Scotland and Northern Ireland is a devolved matter. People may choose to abide by the interpretation and application of Sharia principles if they wish to do so, provided their actions do not conflict with the national law. All individuals retain the right to seek a remedy through the English and Welsh courts in the event of a dispute, and the law of England and Wales in relation to the inheritance of property prevails. The independent Sharia review was published in February 2018. The Government’s commitments in response, including supporting awareness raising campaigns with voluntary organisations, can be found in the Integrated Communities Strategy green paper published in March 2018.

Magistrates: Recruitment

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of magistrates required to be recruited over the next five years to maintain the present numbers; and whetherthey plan toincrease the retirement age for magistrates.

lord keen of elie: HMCTS is working closely with the Judiciary to develop a protocol that will provide a forecast of the number of magistrates required up to five years ahead. It is anticipated that this protocol will be agreed and implemented by June 2019. All judicial office holders, including magistrates, are subject to a uniform mandatory retirement age of 70. In responding to the Lords Constitution Committee’s report into Judicial Appointments of November 2017, we said that we would give further consideration to whether a change to the judicial mandatory retirement age was required. That process is ongoing.

Criminal Proceedings: Interpreters

baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they expect to bring forward measures to ensure that Directive 2010/64/EU of the European Parliament, providing for the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings, will be incorporated into UK statute before 29 March; and if so, when.

lord keen of elie: Directive 2010/64/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 October 2010 on the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings was transposed into UK domestic law by 27 October 2013 when it came into force. The Government has no plan currently to alter those provisions.

Department for International Trade

General Agreement on Trade in Services

lord green of deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government with which countries the UK has General Agreements on Trade in Services mode 4 commitments as part of trade deals.

baroness fairhead: Currently, the UK’s Mode 4 commitments in the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) are applied to all other 163 World Trade Organisation (WTO) Members - full details of membership can be found on the WTO website under ‘Members and Observers’. In addition, through the UK’s membership of the EU, the UK participates in around 40 free trade agreements. These arrangements cover more than 70 countries and a number of these agreements include services which cover Mode 4. The Government is seeking continuity for our existing EU free trade agreements as we leave the European Union.

Overseas Trade: Brazil

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential for growth in trade and investment between Brazil and the UK.

baroness fairhead: There is a clear potential for UK companies in Brazil with the world’s 5th largest population and the 9th largest economy (by GDP). Total UK-Brazil trade reached £5.5 billion in 2017. Brazil is the largest destination of UK exports and the largest receiver of UK investment in Latin America. The new Bolsonaro government has stated ambitions around economic reform and leaving the EU will allow the UK to take advantage of the growing parts of the world economy, including South America. UK Export Finance has significant capacity to support UK exports to Brazil. My Rt Hon Friend for Hertford and Stortford (Mark Prisk MP) was appointed as the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Brazil in 2016 to promote further bilateral trade and investment. The UK and Brazil also have a number of bilateral dialogues including the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO). During the 10th edition held in London last year, chaired by my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade, Brazil and the UK reaffirmed their commitment to exploring means to deepen future UK-Brazil trade and investment relations. This has been formalised through the Joint Trade Review, examining the business environment and market access issues so as to identify ways to increase opportunities for firms from both countries. Last year, the Secretary of State also appointed the first HM Trade Commissioner to Latin America, responsible for championing trade between the UK and Latin America.

Overseas Trade: Argentina

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential for growth in trade and investment between Argentina and the UK.

baroness fairhead: This is an exciting time in UK-Argentine relations. The Prime Minister was warmly received at the G20 in Buenos Aires in December. Leaving the EU will allow the UK to take advantage of the growing parts of the world economy, including South America.UK market share in Argentina is less than 1% (0.8%) for goods and just over 2% (2.1%) for services. There is therefore great potential for growth in the UK-Argentine trade and investment relationship and we are working to support UK companies to reclaim their position as one of Argentina’s pre-eminent business partners.Last year, my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade appointed the first HM Trade Commissioner to Latin America, responsible for championing trade between the UK and Latin America. In addition, my Hon Friend for Fylde (Mark Menzies MP) was announced as the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Argentina in December and is already working to promote further bilateral trade and investment. We also have a UK-Argentine Commercial Dialogue, agreed with the Argentine Commerce Ministry last year and chaired by my Hon Friend the Minister of State for Investment (Graham Stuart).UK Export Finance has significant capacity to support UK exports to Argentina.

Ministry of Defence

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

lord west of spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to order only carrier capable F-35 aircraft.

earl howe: I refer the Noble Lord to the Answer I gave him on 26 November 2018 (HL11694). The Ministry of Defence remains committed to the initial order of 48 F35B aircraft.



Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft
(Word Document, 27.17 KB)

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit

lord mcnicol of west kilbride: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the (1) percentage, and (2) number of Universal Credit claims that have not been paid in full within five weeks.

baroness buscombe: The information requested for the percentage of Universal Credit claims not paid in full on time is in the table below and was taken from statistics we published on payment timeliness in November 2018. -August 2018 Proportion of paid Universal Credit claims that were not paid in full on time (all claims)*6 per cent Proportion of paid Universal Credit claims that were not paid in full on time (new claims)*16 per cent * Universal Credit entitlement is calculated over monthly Assessment Periods. Claims which are paid on time will receive payment by the payment due date, which is 7 days after an Assessment Period ends. In many cases where full payment is not made on time, it is due to unresolved issues such as: claimants not accepting their Claimant Commitment or passing identity checks, satisfying the Habitual Residency Test, or having outstanding verification issues, such as housing costs and self-employed earnings. We plan to publish updated official statistics on the number of Universal Credit claims that have been paid on time. This data is currently going through quality assurance clearance procedures in line with the Official Statistics publication standard.

Universal Credit

lord mcnicol of west kilbride: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many, and what percentage of, Universal Credit claimants are on alternative payments arrangements.

baroness buscombe: Alternative Payment Arrangements for Universal Credit are only available at Household level and can be found in the tables below. UC households claiming Housing Entitlement split by those receiving Managed Payment to Landlord by Month August 2018 (p)Percentage of relevant claimsNumber of Households receiving Managed Payments to Landlords106,53818%Total UC households claiming Housing Entitlement582,859   UC households in payment split by those receiving More Frequent Payments by MonthAugust 2018 (p)Percentage of relevant claimsNumber of Households receiving More Frequent Payments8,2351%Total UC Households in payment850,172   UC Couple Households split by those receiving Split Payments by Month August 2018 (p)Percentage of relevant claimsNumber of Households receiving split payments20less than 1%Total UC Couple Households126,889  Source: Stat-Xplore, Department for Work and Pensions Figures marked "p" are provisional. These figures will be subject to revision in subsequent releases. It is expected that overall provisional figures will be within two per cent of their revised figure in future releases.Percentages may not add up due to rounding.Statistical disclosure control has been applied to this table to avoid the release of confidential data. As such totals may not sum.The figures for More Frequent Payments and Managed Payments to Landlords exclude those under Scottish Choices.

Universal Credit

lord mcnicol of west kilbride: To ask Her Majesty's Government how are the salaries of employees on Universal Credit whoare paid twice within a month, in particular over the Christmas period, being treated for the purposes of benefits payments; and what steps are being taken to prevent such employees being disadvantaged.

baroness buscombe: Universal Credit payments reflect, as closely as possible, the actual circumstances of a household during each monthly assessment period. Assessment periods allow for Universal Credit awards to be adjusted on a monthly basis, ensuring that if a claimant’s income falls, they do not have to wait several months for a rise in their Universal Credit award. Some claimants receive earnings from work multiple times within an assessment period if they are paid via four-weekly, fortnightly, or weekly patterns. This in turn may reduce, or in some cases, nil the Universal Credit award the claimant receives that month. Claimants can always discuss the implications of this with their case managers and work coaches and can be referred to Personal Budgeting Support to help them manage their budgeting. If a claimant’s Universal Credit claim is closed due to this, claimants can re-claim the following month via a more simplified process than for an initial claim. We have produced guidance to help ensure claimants, staff and representatives are aware of the importance of reporting accurate dates and the impact on payment cycles, which is attached with this reply. The Government is working with employers to ensure that they use the most appropriate payment practices and comply with RTI guidelines in order to minimise the incidence of erroneous or late reporting by employers. HMRC have recently updated guidance to reiterate to employers the importance of reporting accurate dates and the impact on payment cycles; the Financial Secretary to the Treasury is working closely with HMRC and employers to do this.



UC Earning Patterns
(PDF Document, 307.95 KB)

Universal Credit

lord mcnicol of west kilbride: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether advance payments for Universal Credit are working.

baroness buscombe: Advances are available to all new claimants of Universal Credit. Our latest internal data shows around 60 percent of eligible new claims to Universal Credit received an advance in October 2018. Subject to some fluctuation, this rate of advance take up has been broadly consistent. This shows that claimants are being made aware of advances and that our advance system is being utilised so people get help when they need it.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Fish: Conservation

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the contribution of the Common Fisheries Policy to the preservation of fish stocks in British waters.

lord gardiner of kimble: Leaving the EU and the Common Fisheries Policy means that we will be an independent coastal State, able to manage and control who fishes in our waters. We will also have the opportunity to develop a more responsive and adaptive management regime with opportunities to create a more resilient, competitive, profitable fisheries sector, together with a clean, healthy and productive marine environment. The Commission’s most recent policy statement (June 2018) about the State of Play of the Common Fisheries Policy can be found at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52018DC0452&from=EN and https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52018SC0329&from=EN

Home Office

Organised Crime: Rural Areas

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reduce organised acquisitive crime in rural areas.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government has ensured that, through the election of Police and Crime Commissioners, communities, including those in rural areas, have a strong voice in determining how police resources are allocated to tackle the crimes that most matter to them. In addition, Regional Organised Crime Units in England and Wales provide capability to investigate serious and organised crime across police force boundaries and play an important leadership role in facilitating information sharing across agencies and departments about serious and organised crime.We are committed to providing all police forces in England and Wales with the resources they need to do their crucial work. In 2018/19, total police funding increased by over £460 million, including Council Tax precept and funding for national priorities. The proposed funding settlement for 2019/20 enables total policing funding to increase by up to £970 million, including Council Tax precept and funding for national priorities such as counter-terrorism. This is sufficient for the police to both manage financial pres-sures and invest in key capabilities such as recruiting more detectives

Immigration Controls

lord green of deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government which non-EU countries’ citizens are currently granted visa-free access to the UK.

baroness williams of trafford: Appendix 2 of Appendix V to the Immigration Rules sets out the list of coun-tries whose nationals require a visa in advance of travel to the UK. A list of those countries can be found in a separate document attached with this an-swer. Nationals of countries not listed in Appendix 2 do not require a visa.

Visas: Migrant Workers

lord green of deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in relation to the proposed time-limited visa route for temporary short-term workers described in The UK's future skills-based immigration system(Cm 9722), published on 19 December 2018, which countries they consider to be "low risk".

baroness williams of trafford: To determine low-risk countries as set out in the UK’s Future Skills-Based Immigration System White Paper, the Home Office will consider a range of relevant factors such as returns agreements, reciprocal mobility agreements, cooperation on border security and prosperity. These measures will be re-viewed regularly, and further information will be provided in due course.

Visas: Migrant Workers

lord green of deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether temporary short-term workers who have availed themselves of the time-limited visa route described in The UK’s future skills-based immigration system(Cm 9722), published on 19 December 2018, will be allowed to return to the UKfor work after their “cooling off” period of 12 months; and if so, for how long.

lord green of deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether temporary short-term workers who have availed themselves of the time-limited visa route described in The UK’s future skills-based immigration system(Cm 9722), published on 19 December 2018, will be permitted to change employers during their initial 12 months.

baroness williams of trafford: On 19 December 2018 the Government published its White Paper on the UK’s future skills-based immigration system. The immigration system which it outlines is designed to work for those coming to our country, businesses, our public services and the UK as a whole.The White Paper contains proposals for a time-limited temporary short-term workers route. The White Paper sets out our initial proposals to allow these short-term workers to come to the UK for 12 months at a time, followed by a year-long cooling off period. Following that cooling off period, previous holders of a temporary short term work visa will, while the scheme remains in place, be eligible to apply for another temporary work visa to come to the UK for a further 12 month period. We will be engaging extensively with businesses and stakeholders on the length of the stay and cooling off period.Holders of a short-term work visa will be permitted to change employers without further authorisation.

Deportation: China

baroness hamwee: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the purpose of Operation Elucidate; when that Operation began; and whether that Operation is still active.

baroness hamwee: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Chinese nationals were arrested under Operation Elucidate in (1) 2015, (2) 2016, (3) 2017, and (4) 2018; for what offences any individuals were arrested; and how many of any arrested were identified as potential victims of modern slavery.

baroness williams of trafford: Operation Elucidate is a programme to confirm the identity and nationality of individuals in the UK illegally, with officials from the receiving Government, with the purpose of obtaining travel documentation to facilitate their return. The programme began in 2003 and remains in operation.The remaining information requested is not held in a reportable format.

Immigration

baroness hamwee: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their white paper The UK’s future skills-based immigration system, published in December 2018 (Cm 9722), how they define “sustainable levels” of migration.

baroness williams of trafford: A sustainable level of net migration is one which contributes to economic growth by ensuring that businesses have the labour they need to operate effectively, while at the same time not putting undue burden on communities and services and not giving rise to public concern about migration levels.

Immigration: Windrush Generation

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals from the Commonwealth Caribbean countries, who settled in the UK before 1973, have been determined as eligible for compensation for detrimental treatment during the hostile environment illegal immigration programme; how many have been compensated to date; how many are still awaiting settlement; what has been the cost of such compensation to date; and what estimate they have made of the overall cost.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government is committed to establishing a compensation scheme specifically, for members of the Windrush generation who have suffered loss as a result of difficulties in demonstrating their lawful immigration status.The Home Office published a consultation paper on 19 July seeking views on the design and operation of the scheme. The consultation closed on 16 November. As the scheme is not yet in place, it is not possible to submit an application for compensation or make payments under the scheme.We will announce details of the final scheme and how to apply as soon as possible. It is not possible to give an estimate of compensation costs before the scheme is announced.

Immigration

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage immigration from non-European countries after Brexit.

baroness williams of trafford: The White Paper published on 19 December sets out the Government’s plans for managing the admission of workers from around the world on the basis of economic need and not nationality.

Immigration Controls: Hong Kong

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in view of their status as British nationals, British national (overseas) passport holders from Hong Kong will be permitted to use ePassport gates in the UK when automated passenger clearance is extended to foreign nationals from the United States, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and elsewhere.

baroness williams of trafford: The UK’s border and immigration system is kept under regular review. We will monitor the change to the nationalities eligible to use ePassport gates to determine any future plans.

Agricultural Machinery and Motor Vehicles: Theft

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ashton of Hyde on 2 January (HL12281), what assessment they have made of the use of GPS jammers in the theft and export of stolen vehicles and farm machinery.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government has not carried out a specific assessment of the use of GPS jammers in the theft and export of stolen vehicles and farm machinery.However, we are working with industry, the police and others to look at what more we can do to tackle vehicle crime, including where this is enabled by tools such as jammers. This work is being overseen by a new vehicle crime taskforce chaired by the Policing Minister.

Artificial Intelligence

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government which types of non-criminal matters the National DataAnalytics Solution could be used for.

baroness williams of trafford: The National Data Analytics Solution project will deliver the foundations of a national data analytics capability to enable a more coordinated response to targeting crime and vulnerability.The project will be evaluated after it completes in March 2019. This will enable an informed assessment of potential uses for the capability and consider any next steps and further applications.

Prescriptions: Artificial Intelligence

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether prescription data could be legally mined as part of the National Data Analytics Solution.

baroness williams of trafford: The National Data Analytics Solution project has received Police Transformation Fund support to deliver the foundations of a national data analytics capability to enable a more coordinated response to targeting crime and vulnerability by sharing data across participating police forces. Prescription data is not within the scope of the project.The project will be evaluated after it completes in March 2019. This will enable an informed assessment of potential uses for the capability and consideration of any next steps and further applications, including due diligence for compliance with all relevant rules and regulations.

Artificial Intelligence

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government which departments are taking part in the National Data Analytics Solution.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office is the only government department involved in the National Data Analytics Solution project following approval by the Home Secretary of an award from the Police Transformation Fund to West Midlands Police to deliver it.

Asylum

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of those who have claimed asylum after arriving in the UK by crossing the Channel are (1) Iranian Christians, and (2) from minorities other than Iranian Christians persecuted for their religious beliefs.

baroness williams of trafford: Over 500 migrants, the majority of whom are Iranian nationals, attempted to travel to the UK on small vessels in 2018. The vast majority of those attempts were made in the last three months of the year.All asylum claims made in the UK are processed, managed and decided in line with Home Office policy, guidance and relevant case law and legislation. This supports an efficient and effective asylum process for the UK and en-sures that asylum claims are handled in a manner that is appropriate to the individual, including ensuring any reasonable adjustments and safeguarding needs are considered.All asylum claimants must be treated with dignity and fairness regardless of their age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion or belief.However, the Home Office does not electronically record the grounds on which an individual claims asylum and so we cannot identify how many asy-lum claimants, from those crossing the Channel are Iranian Christians and from minorities other than Iranian Christians persecuted for their religious beliefs.

Overseas Visitors: Visas

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is normal practice to request biometric procedures to be conducted before final approval for permission to enter the UK on a visitor's visa; and if so, whether they plan to consider approving such applications before an appointment to collect biometric data is made.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government uses biographic and biometric information to conduct iden-tity and suitability checks on visa applicants before deciding whether to issue an applicant with a visa. If we did not complete these checks before approv-ing a visa application, we risk granting entry clearance to individuals who have an adverse immigration history and exposing the UK to harm from criminals who seek to come to the UK.

Asylum: Religion

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will record the religious affiliation of asylum applicants reaching the UK, since persecution due to faith or religious conversion may be a cause of flight and grounds for granting refugee status.

baroness williams of trafford: All asylum claims lodged in the UK are carefully considered on their individu-al merits against a background of relevant case law and up to date country information.We ensure that claimants are given every opportunity to disclose information relevant to their claim under a Convention reason, as set out in the 1951 Refugee Convention, as part of the screening process and at substantive interview stage.However, the Home Office does not electronically record the grounds on which an individual bases their asylum claim and so we cannot identify how many claims are made on the grounds of religious affiliation or how many have been granted for this reason. This could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

Firearms

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of a rise in public firearms ownership across Europe; and whether there will be additional security checks at UK ports after Brexit.

baroness williams of trafford: The UK has some of the toughest gun laws in the world. The Government continues to work with national and with international partners to reduce the threat to the UK from the criminal use of firearms. We are ensuring that we have the right intelligence, detection and enforcement capabilities and policies internationally, at the UK border, and within the UK.Tackling the illegal trafficking of firearms continues to be a strategic priority. Border Force sets and reviews firearms targeting profiles dynamically, as soon as new intelligence is identified.

Cabinet Office

Pay

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the (1) male, and (2) female working population earn £30,000 or over per annum.

lord young of cookham: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. Dear Baroness Lister of Burtersett, As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am replying to your Parliamentary Question asking what proportion of the (1) male, and (2) female working population earn £30,000 or over per annum (HL12837). The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings[1] (ASHE), carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. ASHE is used to produce estimates of the number and proportion of employee jobs, which are defined as those held by employees and not the self-employed. Please note that ASHE is based on a 1% sample of employee jobs taken from HM Revenue and Customs' Pay As You Earn (PAYE) records. Consequently, individuals with more than one job may appear in the sample more than once. The estimate of the proportion of employee jobs earning £30,000 or more per year in April 2018[2] (the latest period for which ASHE estimates are available) in the UK is (1) 48.6% for males and (2) 24.4% for females. These estimates include both full-time and part-time employee jobs, apprentices and are based upon employees that have been in their current job for at least a year and are on an adult rate of pay.  Yours sincerely,   John Pullinger[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/bulletins/annualsurveyofhoursandearnings/previousReleases[2]2018 data are provisional

General Elections: Deposits

lord stoddart of swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, and if so, when, they plan to bring forward legislation to abolish the deposit required to stand forelection to the House of Commons.

lord young of cookham: The requirement for candidates to pay a deposit of £500 in order to stand for election to the House of Commons is set out in primary legislation. The Government is not seeking to change this requirement at present.

Treasury

Investment: Property

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to investigate the operation of real estate investment funds, in particular (1) the property valuations used by these funds, (2) whether fund investors and redeemers are treated equally, and (3) the calculation of fund management fees.

lord bates: This is a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is operationally independent from Government. The question has been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to Lord Myners by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 20 December (HL12311), what impact Stamp Duty Land Tax has had on (1) housing mobility, and (2) the frequency of housing transactions, since 2014.

lord bates: HMRC publish quarterly and annual statistics on transaction volumes which are available on GOV.UK. At Autumn Statement 2014 the Government reformed the structure of Stamp Duty Land Tax, cutting the tax paid on all purchases of residential property to a value of £937,500, unless purchasing additional property – a reduction for 98% of those paying the tax. Housing market activity is affected by a wide variety of factors, of which Stamp Duty Land Tax is just one.

Credit Unions

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support and enable the growth of credit unions.

lord bates: The government remains committed to supporting credit unions, which provide vital services to financially under-served communities and contribute to the diversity of the UK’s financial services sector. At Autumn Budget 2018, the Chancellor announced a two-year pilot of a new prize-linked savings scheme offered through credit unions. This will support the credit union sector through increased membership, awareness and deposits, as well as encouraging participants to build up savings to help them cope with financial shocks. The Chancellor also announced a new £2 million challenge fund to promote innovative solutions from the UK’s Fintech sector to address challenges faced by social and community lenders, including credit unions. This follows the success of last year’s Rent Recognition Challenge, where UK Fintechs were invited to develop digital solutions for incorporating rental data into credit scores.

Brexit

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the current financial cost to the UK of delivering Brexit.

lord bates: The precise scale and nature of any benefits and costs to the UK, from the UK’s departure from the European Union, will depend on the UK’s future relationship with the EU. I am, however, able to provide some detail on how much the government has spent to-date to prepare for all scenarios. In total over £4.2bn has been allocated by the government to departments and devolved administrations to prepare for EU exit since 2015. This includes allocations of £400m at Autumn Budget 2016 and over £250m from the Reserve in 2017/18. Moreover, Autumn Budget 2017 committed an additional £3bn over 2018/19 and 2019/20. In addition, at Budget 2018, the Chancellor made available an additional £500m for 19/20.

Standard of Living

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bates on 17 December 2018 (HL11981), what conclusions were reached by HM Treasury, along with other relevant departments, about the equality and cumulative impact of their decisions on those people sharing protected characteristics; and what assessment they have made of how such conclusions compare with those of the Equality and Human Rights Commission in its reportThe cumulative impact in living standards of public spending changes, published on 28 November, in respect of the effect of public spending changes on lone parents, young adults, severely disabled people and certain ethnic groups since 2010.

lord bates: Equality and fairness continue to be at the heart of this Government’s agenda, and HM Treasury and other departments take their compliance with the Equality Act’s Public Sector Equality Duty seriously when deciding policy. Impact assessments of government policies, including the impact on equalities, are often published by relevant departments. In the interests of transparency, the Treasury and HMRC publish tax information and impact notes (TIINs) for individual tax measures that include, in summary form, assessments of their expected equalities impacts.The government does not accept that the EHRC’s report presents an accurate view of the impacts of its policy choices. In its analysis of public spending, the EHRC does not cover the increase in spending in the new multi-year funding plan for NHS England, equating to £20.5bn more per year in real terms by 2023-24 or changes to the UC work allowance announced at Budget 2018.

Financial Services

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the analysis conducted by the EY financial services Brexit Tracker, published on 7 January, which states that financial services companies have moved approximately £800 billion of assets to Europe; and what assessment, if any, they have made of the impact of such asset moves on the UK financial services sector post-Brexit.

lord bates: We remain committed to preserving our competitive position in financial services after the UK has left the European Union. Firms that are using the EU “passport” to serve clients recognise that further steps to legal certainty remain, and are taking the sensible step of carrying out contingency planning with respect to their operations in the UK and elsewhere in Europe for the event that no deal is reached with the EU. We have successfully agreed commitments for working towards a future framework with the EU on financial services and both sides intend to take decisions on granting equivalence at least 6 months before the end of the Implementation Period. The Government’s long-term economic analysis sets out the impact of the UK’s White Paper position on the financial services sector.

Exchange Rates

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effects of Brexit uncertainty on exchange rate volatility; and what assessment, if any, they have made of the impact of such volatility on business planning in the UK manufacturing sector.

lord bates: Her Majesty’s Government continues to monitor the effects of Brexit uncertainty on exchange rate volatility. Recent financial market movements have been driven by a combination of global events as well as domestic developments. Overall, uncertainty is a key concern of businesses, including those in the manufacturing sector, as evidenced in recent manufacturing focussed business surveys. Furthermore, the Agent’s survey on EU withdrawal preparation from the Bank of England recorded that around 35% of respondents in manufacturing had already made some change to their business plans since the referendum with a further 25-30% expecting to adjust their business plans by end-March 2019. Delivering the settlement negotiated with the EU remains our top priority. The Government will continue to take steps to provide businesses with information for a range of scenarios. These include HMRC publishing a ‘Partnership Pack’ to help businesses prepare for changes at the UK border and the publication of 106 technical notices to help businesses prepare for a ‘no deal’ scenario. The Government has also launched a public information campaign to ensure that citizens and businesses are well informed about how Brexit will affect them and the practical steps they will need to take.

Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money has been returned to HM Treasury from Northern Ireland in each of the last three financial years.

lord bates: Under the Budget Exchange system, the devolved administrations can carry forward unallocated DEL budget from one financial year to the next, within previously agreed limits and with the consent of HM Treasury Ministers. As set out in the Statement of Funding Policy, a limit of 0.6% applies to Resource DEL underspends and 1.5% to Capital DEL underspends in any year. Any underspends in excess of these limits will be forfeited. Over the last three financial years, all underspends in non-ringfenced Resource DEL and Capital DEL (excluding Financial Transaction Capital) have been accessed under the Budget Exchange system in the following year, rather than being surrendered to HM Treasury. Any underspend not accessed under the Budget Exchange Scheme and returned to HM Treasury is either non-cash Resource or Financial Transactions Capital.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

Parliament: Correspondence

lord norton of louth: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how many items of correspondence were received in the Palace of Westminster in 2018; and of those, how many were received in the House of Lords.

lord laming: The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chairman of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. In total, 1,519,939 items of mail were received on the Parliamentary Estate in 2018. The destination of mail is not recorded but it is estimated that approximately 30 per cent of these items were destined for the House of Lords. These figures do not include parcels, courier items or internal mail.

Millbank House: Lighting

lord beecham: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how long the lights in Millbank House will be permanently switched on without any means to switch them off.

lord laming: The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me as Chairman of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. Problems have been experienced with the lighting system installed in 1 Millbank. It appears that the controlling software has been corrupted, resulting in some users being unable to turn on or turn off particular lighting units. A solution is being urgently sought.